Oblivious
by Purple Waterlilies
Summary: For once, Takashi Morinozuka is the voice of reason. Will Kyoya heed his friend's advice, and take charge of a situation completely out of his comfort zone? Or is it Haruhi's destiny to forever remain oblivious?
1. Chapter 1

Large eyes, the color of molten chocolate, fixed on his face. He groaned, enjoying far too much what her hands were doing, yet still wanting more. When she broke eye contact and her head dipped, he forgot how to breathe and tangled his fingers in her hair, losing himself with every delicate lick…

Kyoya sat bolt upright in bed, confused and uncomfortably aroused. He quickly surveyed his blurry surroundings, half hoping the temptress from his dream would be beside him or in the en suite bathroom, fully knowing he wouldn't find her, yet still disappointed when she didn't appear. Obviously he knew that she would be safe in her apartment, tucked in bed, oblivious to his feel- imaginings. He reprimanded himself; he felt nothing for the girl, other than friendship. Just because he was having lascivious dreams about the woman meant nothing other than the fact that he was a healthy teenage boy, and she was the only girl at Ouran who wasn't a complete airhead and therefore required more observation than the predictable children of the elite families he had to rub elbows with. That was all. He chose not to think about the fact that these dreams were becoming a regular occurrence and were becoming more and more vivid each time. Grabbing the phone he always had on his bedside table, he checked the time; it was easier than trying to find his glasses and squinting at his alarm clock. _1:27 AM_. Kyoya considered simply taking care of the aftereffects of his dream and staying up the rest of the night, but since it was earlier than he expected, he simply grumbled, rolled over, and pulled his sheets up over his head. He knew that attempting anything other than sleep at this moment would lead to him being groggy at school the next day, and he couldn't afford to make even a single mistake that might cost him the status of being the head of his class.

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In Music Room 3 the next day, Kyokya stifled a yawn behind his black notebook. Despite falling back asleep that morning, the sleep he got was restless; he almost felt worse than he would if he had if he had simply stayed up the remainder of the night. Fixing his glasses on his nose, he shook his head. _I really must figure out a way to control my urges better. Hedonism is an unnecessary distraction that I cannot afford, if I am to become the Ootori heir._ Kyokya's thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind as the girl in question walked in, a Hitachiin on either arm, though her face advertised her displeasure at the situation to any and all observers.

"Haru-hiiiiii!" In tandem, the twins attempted once more to cajole the petite woman to bow to their whims.

"I've already told you, I will not spend my day off at your mansion playing dress-up while you get some sick pleasure out of forcing me into outfits I wouldn't be caught dead in where somebody might see me." The brunette's deadpan voice sent the twins into each other's arms, tears cascading down their faces as they lamented their mistreatment by the girl that was supposed to be their friend.

Out of nowhere, the twins were face-first on the floor, and the prince of the Host Club was whistling and stepping over them, arms spread wide and calling to Haruhi. "The evil doppelgängers have been vanquished once more, my precious daughter! Come greet your daddy!" Of course, being the twins, they couldn't leave Tamaki's actions unpunished. Quickly glancing at each other, they both snaked a hand out and grabbed an ankle, and Tamaki fell forward, cushioned only by a pillow hastily slid across the floor by Honey. When the twins glared at the tiny man, he simply shrugged and said, "I didn't want to see what Kyo-chan would do to you if Tama-chan's head cracked the marble," and wandered away for cake while the twins suddenly started to shake in fear at their brush with death- or worse.

Despite having graduated, Mori and Honey spent more time at Ouran Academy in the Host Club than they did their universities, simply because they would have missed their friends too much. In the year since Haruhi had stumbled into the Host Club's arms, the seven had become inseparable, and it just wasn't the same when any of the members were gone for any amount of time.

After demolishing a piece of cake in an impossibly short amount of time, Honey started to bounce around the room, swinging the ever-present Usa-chan as he went. "Kao-chan, Hika-chan, help Tama-chan up! The princesses will be here soon!" With the last words, he jumped into Haruhi's arms, hugging her tight. The doors to the music room opened seconds after, and Host Club began their daily duty of entertaining the rich and bored women of the Academy.

About halfway through business hours found Honey and Mori surrounded by women asking the duo about how their higher education experience was thus far. "It's great! Takashi and I are learning a lot of really neat things and meeting new people, but none of them are as nice as all of you ladies, right Takashi?" Honey beamed up at his cousin, waiting for a response. In a completely uncharacteristic manner, however, Mori was not paying much attention to his cousin; the attitude of one of the other hosts had caught his attention and was bothering him. "Yeah. Mitsukuni, I'll be back soon." He nodded at the girls surrounding them, and ignored his cousin's curious head tilt as he walked away.

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"Something's bothering you." Not one to mince words, Mori stood next to Kyoya and got straight to the point. 

While Tamaki might be Kyoya's best friend, Mori and the Shadow King were also rather close. Mori appreciated Kyoya's ability to appreciate silence, rather than fill it will endless prattle, and Kyoya appreciated Mori's ability to speak freely and succinctly on important topics, and yet hold his tongue when it came to sensitive information. "It's nothing of import, Mori-sempai, but thank you for asking after me. I am simply tired." He directed a small smile to the taller man.

Mori crossed his arms, staring down the younger man. "Your host smile doesn't work with me, Kyoya. Talk." Kyoya sighed at his friend's bluntness, and simply gestured to his office, hidden in the back of the room, behind a strategically placed column, so as not to be aesthetically displeasing.

"I'm simply having trouble focusing on certain things. And trouble forcing other things from my mind completely." Kyoya removed his glasses for a moment to rub his eyes, attempting to eradicate the picture of Haruhi's mouth doing inappropriate things to him that seemed to be burned onto the interior of his eyelids.

The older man nodded. "Ah. Haruhi."

Kyoya's head whipped up so quickly that he might have given himself whiplash, and he dropped his glasses. "I beg your pardon?" If he were anybody else, his jaw would have been hanging open. Instead, he gracefully scooped up his glasses and schooled his features back into perfect neutrality.

Mori shook his head at his friend and sighed. "Kyoya. The only people blind to how you feel about Haruhi are Tamaki, Haruhi herself, and you. Even the twins see it. They hang on her more when you're around just to see what you'll do about it." Despite the fact that he didn't frequently speak around the other hosts or their customers, it didn't mean he didn't enjoy having conversations with those closest to him. He knew Kyoya well enough to know that the man needed a second perspective on the situation. "You look at her when you think nobody is looking; I don't think you even know you're doing it. You're adding to her debt for minor things, or things that aren't her fault. You're trying to keep her around. Among other things." Mori leaned against the wall, arms crossed, letting his short speech sink in.

Kyoya sank into his office chair, running his hand through his hair. He wouldn't tell Mori everything that had been going on- he was far too private and prideful for that- but he decided that it wouldn't hurt to discuss the matter further. "I'm not certain how you came to this conclusion before I did, Mori-senpai."

"I'm not drowning under my family's expectations of me, and the higher expectations I have for myself. You're too focused on your life plan to see or acknowledge anything that doesn't fit it." Mori rolled his eyes at the Shadow King.

Kyoya contemplated this statement. "Hmm. I suppose you might be right, though I disagree with your statement that I'm drowning. However, should I concede the point and say that I might indeed have some sort of romantic intentions in regards to Haruhi, there is still one problem.

Mori tilted his head in confusion. "Hm?"

Kyoya looked up at his friend. "Her."

The older boy broke into a rare grin, and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Haruhi might be oblivious, but you're the Shadow King. Do what you do best- convince her."

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 **Author's Note: I'm not sure how long this is going to be, I'm currently only thinking a few chapters, but as I only came up with the idea tonight and have no real idea of what I'm going to do with the plot (I have some ideas, but nothing concrete as of yet), I'm not certain about length. I also have tried to write multi-chapter stories before, and ended up completely giving up on them for reasons such as writer's block and college and life in general, leaving them in whatever state of completion they were in, so I'm not trying to draw this out that much so that that doesn't happen again. Also, I know there's a sneak preview of some M stuff in the very beginning, and I'm sorry to disappoint those who thought they were diving headfirst into a lemon only to be denied, but this is a warning that I do plan to have more scenes of that nature later on. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this and plan to come back for more! To anyone who has commented on or PM'd me up to this point who has not received a response, I am truly sorry, but I've been on hiatus for around four and a half years now, but I want to be better, I promise! Until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

Kyoya stayed after the end of normal business hours of the Host Club to process what Mori had said. On the one hand, he was an Ootori, and Ootoris did not beg for anything, including the affection of a woman. In that same vein, he was certain his father would arrange a marriage for him in the next few years, never mind what Kyoya might ever want for himself. But on the other hand, Haruhi was probably the most unobservant and dense woman in the history of the planet, and if he wasn't willing to let her go, he would need to go out on a limb and attempt to prove his feelings to her, and hope she would reciprocate. And on the arranged marriage front, it wouldn't exactly hurt Kyoya's feelings to go against Yoshio- after all, he _had_ already bought one of his father's companies out from underneath him, so going against his father's wishes in this matter would simply be the cherry on top of the young man's recent accomplishments.

His mind made up, Kyoya smirked to himself as a plan began to come together in his mind. Checking his notebook to reaffirm the scheduled cosplay for the next day, the Shadow King's smile grew slightly. His first step would be a subtle one, but it would be a start. He knew Mori would appreciate it. Kyoya pulled out his cell phone and called the club's costumer, making a change to the next day's order. Of course, the company probably wouldn't be thrilled, but he was confident the changes would be made in plenty of time. He would include an extra-large tip when he settled the bill to appease the craftsmen and women who would work overtime in order to please the youngest Ootori. Hanging up, he made another call to place an order for, of all things, pomegranates.

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Haruhi was actually, for once, excited about the cosplay that the Host Club was doing later. There was no way Tamaki could make the Greek Gods into some tasteless costume for her… probably. Besides, the history and lore surrounding the gods was fascinating. Haruhi had spent much of the previous night brushing up on the mythology, despite having studied it extensively previously. After she had been assigned the Iliad and the Odyssey in middle school, Haruhi had become enthralled with the tangled web of the Greek gods and Goddesses. While Haruhi would much rather be dressed as Athena, there was no way Tamaki was going to let her get away with not being his compliment, especially now that the school knew about the Host Club's "Secret Princess". Luckily, she had been able to talk him out of the Aphrodite idea; there was no way in hell Haruhi was going to be the goddess of love. She could only imagine the scandalous outfit Tamaki and the twins would dream up for her. Instead, she had bargained with Tamaki and he conceded the point on the condition that Haruhi would be the Hera to his Zeus. The brunette shook her head as she walked between the twins on her way to Music Room 3. Tamaki was nothing if not cliché.

Walking into her dressing room, Haruhi was surprised at the garment she found hanging behind the door, waiting for her. She tilted her head, confused. _Tamaki must have a weird idea of what Zeus is supposed to look like._ Shrugging, Haruhi slipped into the shimmering silk dress and lace-up sandals, and went to join the other hosts.

She was met immediately with silence, until Honey let out a long whistle. From someone else, it might have been demeaning, bust Haruhi knew that when it came from Honey-sempai, he was truly just awed. She looked over at Tamaki, only to find that his toga was done up in the white and gold she had expected. She looked down at herself once more, taking in the stormy grey silk that faded to a burgundy at her hem, with silver embroidery in the shape of vines. Once more, she tilted her head, opening her mouth to ask what had happened when she was rudely interrupted by her blonde friend.

"MY DAUGHTER, WHAT IS THIS? WHY DOES YOUR GOWN NOT MATCH DADDY'S TOGA? MOMMY, THIS IS A TRAVESTY! CAN YOU FIX THIS?" Tamaki's soul began to float from his mouth in shock. To be honest, if Haruhi was any other woman, with any less fortitude, her soul just might have joined her sempai's when the Shadow King joined the group, staring at the only female host.

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Kyoya had been focusing intently on his notebook ever since he had gotten to the club room and checked the costumes for the day. Each Host had had a particular deity chosen for them that suited their personalities. Tamaki- Zeus, obviously. Check. Hikaru- Hermes. Check. Kaoru- Dionysus. Check. It only made sense for the twins to be the god of thieves and the god of ritual madness, respectively. Honey- Apollo. Check. Mori- Aether. Check. While Aether was a lesser-known deity, and one that didn't particularly suit Mori's role as the Wild Host, Aether was the god of light and the upper atmosphere, which was a good compliment to Honey's Apollo, as Apollo was not only the god of manly beauty, the arts, and archery, but he was also commonly known as the sun god, so Kyoya thought the godly pairing fitting, due to the closeness of the two men. Obviously, there was only one choice for Kyoya himself- Hades, God of the Underworld. His costume was also present and accounted for. Check. That left only Haruhi's costume to be checked off his list and left in her dressing room.

More nervous than he had been when he was plotting the purchase of his father's company, Kyoya simply stared at his notebook, ignoring the other hosts and their reactions until Tamaki started screaming about the costume. Steeling himself, Kyoya walked to the knot of people in the middle of the room. When he arrived next to Tamaki, he adjusted his glasses and looked at his friend, noticing a small smirk out of the corner of his eye, knowing that Mori understood the significance of the costume switch. "What seems to be the problem Tamaki?"

The blonde turned to look at his best friend, only to squeak loudly and begin to crumble to dust, pointing at Kyoya's toga. Indeed, Tamaki had good reason to disintegrate in that moment. Kyoya's silk toga was a stormy grey at the bottom, fading to silver at the top, with burgundy thread, the same color as the bottom of Haruhi's dress, used to embroider small keys (one of the symbols related to the god, akin to Cerberus the three-headed hell hound) and vines. There was no question who Haruhi complimented this afternoon, and it certainly wasn't the Host Club president.

Haruhi looked around to her section, curious to see if there was any evidence to support her theory as to what her goddess's identity was. Walking over to the table where she usually sat, she grabbed something and walked back. Holding out the pomegranate, she looked at the Shadow King. "I thought I was supposed to be Hera today? Don't get me wrong, Persephone and her story always fascinated me more than Hera's background, but how did the costumes get switched?"

Glasses flashing, Kyoya gave the excuse he had come up with the night before. "The seamstresses called me last night. They hadn't ordered enough of the white and gold silk, because an intern had made a mistake when contacting the silk trader the costumer we prefer usually goes through. However, they had the grey and burgundy silk leftover from a previous order, and asked if it would be alright if they used that instead. Obviously, the color scheme does not suit Hera, but it was perfect for the Queen of the Underworld. And, it was discounted, so there won't even need to be a new debt created for you, as there would have been if the costumers had had to find the other silk for your costume. I assumed you wouldn't mind." Face neutral, Kyoya began to walk away. "Customers will begin arriving in a few minutes. Might I suggest we assume our positions, in order to greet them?"

Haruhi blanched at the idea of a new debt being created, and went to her position by the door. The twins had been standing by, jaws on the floor in shock. Quickly, the composed themselves the best they could and stumbled to stand by Haruhi. Mori swept Tamaki's crumbled remains into the dust pan Honey was holding for him, and brought their king over to his throne. Kyoya placed himself on the opposite end of the group from Haruhi so that their dark costumes framed the other hosts' bright ones, adding contrast and drawing one's eyes even more dramatically to the group. When customers arrived, they too noticed the obvious pair, and were curious about the sudden change; it was unlike the Shadow King to match himself to anyone, preferring to be true to his "Cool Type" label, and Haruhi was usually unwillingly matched with or glued to Tamaki's side. Some of the customers commented on the curiousness of the situation, and Haruhi simply fed them the same excuse Kyoya had fed the Hosts. However, internally- and much to her surprise- she found that she didn't particularly mind being the Persephone to Kyoya's Hades. Certainly, she minded it much less than she minded the idea of Being Tamaki's Hera. Shaking her head slightly, she tried to clear the images of being Kyoya's consort from her mind so that she could better focus on her customers. She must not have gotten enough sleep the night before, for her mind to be wandering in such unusual ways.

Across the room, Kyoya was having thoughts of a similar nature, much to his annoyance. He was having a ridiculous time, attempting to oversee the proceedings and manage his notebook, but his mind kept wandering to the small brunette across the room. Suddenly, his phone rang. He picked it up without looking at the caller ID. "Ootori."

"Kyoya! How lovely to hear your voice!" Kyoya could almost head the red head dancing around through the phone.

"Hello Ranka, it's delightful as always to hear from you. How are you today?" Despite being the complete opposite of anyone his family typically associated with- or perhaps because of that exact reason- Kyoya found himself honestly liking Ranka as a person and friend, on top of being Haruhi's father.

Ranka smiled at Kyoya's typical answer. Of all Haruhi's new friends, Kyoya was Ranka's favorite, and he made no attempts to hide that fact. "Well Kyoya, I had today off and I wanted to make a nice meal for Haruhi, to give her a break, if you will, since she always takes such good care of me and the house, on top of being the top student in her class. But, it looks like it will rain tonight, and the bus she typically rides home was in a minor accident this morning and isn't running today; I was wondering if you would mind giving her a ride home? Obviously, you are _more_ than welcome to stay for dinner!" Kyoya smiled at the way the older man had sing-songed the last sentence, in an attempt to make it sound more enticing.

"Of course I will, Ranka. Club hours are almost over, and I'll bring her home as soon as we escort the last customer, in an attempt to beat the rain."

"You are a life saver, Kyoya darling! The last thing poor Haruhi needs is to be stuck in the rain and catch a cold. I shall see you both later, ta-ta!" Ranka hung up before Kyoya could say anything more. Chuckling at the older man's exuberance, he closed his phone and began to tidy up his table. Without changing, he walked over to Haruhi's table, just as the last goodbye had been said.

"I beg your pardon, everyone, but I must steal our dear Persephone away, now." He decided to lay it on a little thicker, roping the women- and a few men- surrounding Haruhi in a little more, ensuring their continued use of the Host Club. He bowed in front of Haruhi, grabbing one hand in his. "I am to escort you home this evening, to ensure you stay out of the imminent rain. If you would come with me, my queen?" He kissed her hand as she rose, then tucked it into the crook of his elbow. Looking back to the customers, he bid them farewell. "Thank you for coming today, and we hope to see you all again tomorrow."

With that final statement, he whisked his dark princess from the room. 

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 **Author's Note: I apologize for Mori being slightly out of character in the last chapter, but I find him to be both underrated and underutilized as a character as a whole, and wanted to give him a bit of a bigger role in this story. He honestly** _ **can't**_ **be that quiet all the time, especially with a cousin like Honey, and it's my own personal belief that he's much more verbose with those he trusts and cares for most. As it stands, I'm still not sure how much more of this there will be, but I'm quite enjoying writing this, too much so to end it just yet. Please feel free to leave a review if you have any ideas for or comments about the story, I love hearing from the readers. Thank you for reading this far, and I do hope you plan to stick around!**

 **Until next time~ Waterlilies**


	3. Chapter 3

Haruhi sighed as she looked down at the costume she was still wearing, having been immediately shoved into a waiting car after Kyoya had drug her from the Music Room and out through the front doors of the school. "Senpai, I still don't understand why we couldn't change before you took me home."

Kyoya looked up from the notebook he was studying. In truth, the only thing he was studying was Haruhi, but he wasn't ready for her to know that. "Your father said it was supposed to storm. I wanted to ensure that you were safely ensconced there before the storms arrived, to cause you as little stress as possible. If you had been caught in the rain and gotten sick, or hurt because you panicked, club profits would drop. While you may no longer have a debt with the club, we do still have to bring in capital if we are going to continue to humor our king." He smiled his host smile and turned back to the notebook, still clandestinely observing the woman over the top of the pages.

The reality of the situation was much more selfish, but of course it wouldn't do for Haruhi to know that, yet. Truthfully, while Kyoya was indeed concerned about Haruhi getting home before the storm, he wasn't concerned about club profits; instead, he wanted Ranka to see the matching costumes. Though Kyoya wanted Haruhi's father to know that the dark haired host had intentions toward the older man's daughter, he did not want to ask Ranka for his permission to pursue her. Haruhi was a strong woman with an independent streak a mile wide. Kyoya would not ask her father for her like a prized chicken- he respected her more than that, and wanted her to make her own choice.

Haruhi snorted in a very unladylike fashion, crossing her arms. "I should have known that was the reason, senpai. But if this silk gets damaged in any way one the way home, it's not on me and you're not allowed to make a new debt." She looked down at the beautiful ensemble again, smiling slightly. "I have to admit though, I _do_ like this outfit better than whatever impractical white and gold nonsense Tamaki-senpai must have come up with."

If he were anyone but an Ootori, Kyoya would have blushed at that, despite knowing that Haruhi had not meant it in the way he wished she had. As it was, he merely flipped a page in his notebook as the car silently traversed the steadily darkening streets.

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They arrived at Haruhi's apartment complex just as the first streaks of lightning crossed the evening sky. Haruhi tensed as she saw the flashes, but Kyoya wrapped his arm around her shoulders and whisked her up the stairs before the first rumble of thunder could follow and frighten her more. Inside, Ranka was bustling around in the kitchen, a frilly pink apron over his jeans and t-shirt. When he noticed the two teens walk in, he practically flung the ladle into the pot on the stove and attacked his daughter with a vice-like hug. "I'm so glad my baby girl is home! I was so worried you were going to be caught in the storm, but I just _knew_ that darling Kyoya would bring you home safe to me!"

The small woman pushed the redheaded man off, wiping the creases out of her outfit and rolling her eyes. "Dad, stop. Your tears will stain the costume and then Kyoya-senpai will make me pay for it."

Kyoya sighed and shook his head, hiding a smile. "You already made me promise not to hold you accountable for any damages to the outfit, remember?"

At his daughter's comment, Ranka did a double take at the outfits the two were wearing, and a small, sly smile crossed his perfectly painted lips. He looked up at the taller of the teens and was pleased when he was met with straightened shoulders and a look of determination. Yes, Ranka would not at all mind having Kyoya as a part of the family…

The small woman flashed a quick smile up at Kyoya, "He doesn't need to know that, senpai. I'm going to change, dad, then I'll help you finish up dinner." Haruhi had completely missed the silent exchange between the two other people in the room and wandered off, mind on other things.

Kyoya finished removing his shoes, and turned to his host. "If it's alright, I'd also like to change, Ranka. May I use the bathroom?"

"Of course you can! Help yourself Kyoya, make yourself at home!" Ranka grinned widely at Kyoya, simultaneously shoving the younger man out of the kitchen. As he walked down the hall, all Kyoya could hear were undignified girlish giggles and mutterings about beautiful grandbabies.

Haruhi reemerged first, only to find her father still dancing around the kitchen. She stared at him for a moment before she shrugged and decided to stir whatever was on the stove rather than try to figure out what had tickled her father's fancy this time. She reached for the ladle only to have her hand swatted away.

"You're not touching the stove tonight, Haruhi. Tonight, it is daddy's night to cook for my precious Haruhi! Besides, we just have to wait for Kyoya to finish changing, the ramen is ready to eat as it is."

Just as Ranka finished speaking, a deafening peal of thunder tore through the apartment, causing Haruhi to scream and jump back, bumping into the recently returned Kyoya. The Cool Host wrapped his small friend in his arms, pressing one ear to his chest and covering the other with his hand in an attempt to protect her from any more offending rumbles. Ranka gave the boy a grateful nod as he went to turn the radio on in an attempt to drown out some of the noise. However, just as the older man's foot crossed the threshold into the living room, the entire apartment went dark.

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Kyoya's phone snapped shut. "The power is out for several blocks in any direction in the immediate area. It would appear that lightning struck a power plant nearby, and there are several power lines down as well. It is uncertain when the power will be restored to the area." Haruhi merely shivered in the dim candlelight, a side effect of the unpredictable thunder still sounding around them.

Ranka walked back into the living room from where he had been on his own phone in the kitchen. "The bar is a mess. The patrons are panicking and one of the staff members already managed to trip and knock himself out on a table. Someone is taking him to the hospital, but I need to go in to make sure no other employee is hurt and the patrons are evacuated safely. Kyoya, I'm sorry to ask this, but could you stay with Haruhi? I don't want her to be alone." The older man ran his hand through his uncharacteristically messy hair.

Haruhi roused herself enough to try to protest her father's suggestion, but Kyoya cut her off. "I won't leave her, Ranka. She'll be safe. Let me pack you some dinner while you gather what you need before you leave. You need to ensure that you're up to par if you plan to help anyone else." He might be rich, but Ootori Kyoya could still put some food in a to-go container if the situation required.

By the time his dinner had been packed, Ranka had filled a backpack with essentials, such as flashlights and matches, and set out a pair of sweatpants and a shirt for Kyoya. "I'm not sure when I'll be back, and since you have school in the morning, you'll need to sleep eventually. Use these so you're more comfortable."

The younger man nodded his thanks and handed Ranka his food. "Be careful, Ranka." The cross dresser smiled as he walked out the door, patting the younger man on the head as he went.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Don't stay up. And thank you again for staying with her, Kyoya. I'm glad she has you." Ranka closed the door behind him, not allowing his daughter's friend a chance to respond.

After checking the lock, Kyoya made his way back to where his friend was huddled under a blanket. Kneeling in front of the scared girl, he gently lifted her chin so she would look at him. "Are you hungry at all Haruhi? The ramen should still be warm enough to eat." When the small woman merely looked blankly up at him, he pulled the blanket tighter around her as a peel of thunder rang out again, and risked leaving her long enough to go get food anyway.

As soon as he put the food down on the table and roused her enough to at least try to eat, Haruhi's cell phone began to ring. Since the storm was so strong and she was so petrified, Kyoya picked it up, in case it was Ranka. Without looking at the caller ID, he answered. "Fujioka Haruhi's phone."

He had barely managed to utter Harhuhi's last name before a very familiar voice nearly deafened him. "HARUHI DADDY HEARD THAT YOUR AREA OF THE CITY LOST POWER ARE YOU OKAY ARE YOU SAFE ARE YOU ALO-" Tamaki paused for a moment, panting quietly, before realizing that he was not, indeed, yelling at the Natural Host. "Kyoya, why did you answer Haruhi's phone?"

Sighing and rubbing the bridge of his nose under his glasses, Kyoya answered his favorite idiot. "I took Haruhi home after school, remember? Ranka invited me to stay for dinner, but then the power went out and there was an emergency at the bar, so he asked me to stay with her. It's not safe to attempt to make your way here at the moment, Tamaki, so don't try it. There are downed power lines, not to mention all traffic lights and other required safety features are not functioning. I promise you I will keep her safe. Please call Hikaru and Kaoru and tell them the same. Mori-senpai won't let Honey-senpai do anything dangerous," Kyoya rushed to get everything out before Tamaki could go off on one of his tangents again and interrupt him.

There was a pause on the other end of the line as Tamaki took in all of the information that his friend had just conveyed. "At least she's not alone right now… If anything goes wrong, Kyoya, let me know immediately. I'll do whatever I have to do to get there." Tamaki hung up on Kyoya, not needing a response.

Kyoya felt a pang of guilt. _I know you'll do whatever you need to, to get here, to get to_ her. _Even if you don't know why._ He knew his best friend had feelings for Haruhi. He knew he should back of and let Tamaki be happy. But he also knew that he couldn't give her up without a fight. She was one of the only lights in his monotonous, gray life, and she was certainly the brightest. So he would continue to betray his friend, and hope that no matter how things ended up, Tamaki would understand and forgive him. He looked at the object of his simultaneous torment and possible salvation. She had finished eating and was looking a little more like herself. "How was it?"

"Why do you think I normally cook? It's not just because dad's busy. But I don't think you're at risk of food poisoning or anything." Haruhi managed a small smile when Kyoya snickered. After a taste of his dinner, he looked back up at his friend.

"You certainly didn't inherit your skills in the kitchen from your father, luckily. Also luckily, with the power out the fridge isn't working, which means that this is _unfortunately_ going to spoil so we won't have to eat it again." He smiled warmly when he elicited a laugh with that comment.

After they had put their dishes in the kitchen, they sat side-by-by side with their backs to a wall in companionable silence. There ended up being some small talk, some talk about how Haruhi had learned to cook, and by extension, her mother. After a time, Haruhi fell asleep with her head on Kyoya's shoulder, and Kyoya fell asleep resting his cheek against her soft hair. When Ranka finally managed to get matters under control and come home, an hour or so before the teens had to get ready to go back to Ouran, he merely smiled at the picture. At some point after they fell asleep, somehow their hands had found each other and their fingers were intertwined. Happily, Ranka gently covered the two with a blanket and went to his own room to try to get some rest.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

 **Author's Note: This chapter took me a ridiculously long time to write. I knew where I wanted to go with this as soon as I finished the last one. But everything seemed to drag on. This was supposed to be so much better than it seems to me. BUT. I can always make up for it (hopefully) with the next chapter. Which** _ **shouldn't**_ **take anywhere near as long to get out as this one did, but I also do work nine hours a day Monday through Friday, so bear with me as I try to get back into the swing of things on here. Thank you for your reviews! Also, lylasalwaysme, I'm very glad you liked my Mori! I hope to have more scenes incorporated where he gets to speak his mind.**

 **Until next time,  
Waterlilies~**


	4. Chapter 4

As Haruhi slowly floated towards consciousness at the incessant beeping of her phone alarm, she realized a few things. First of all, there was one hell of a crick in her spine, so she knew she couldn't be in her bed. But, at the same time, she felt surprisingly warm and safe. She slowly opened her eyes, only to be met with a sea of dark gray. Tilting her head back, a blush inundated her pale cheeks. Kyoya was still sound asleep, impervious to the jarring alarm noises, face still buried in Haruhi's hair since she hadn't moved that far away from him yet. She knew she should try to wake him, but not only did she not feel like dealing with the hypotensive demon lord just yet, he was so peaceful while he slept; she never really got to observe him, since Kyoya was constantly observing everyone and everything around him and it would be awkward for her to stare.

All of the hosts were gorgeous men in their own right, but Kyoya was the one Haruhi found the most handsome. But it wasn't just his appearance that made him so; no, Haruhi felt that his confidence, intelligence, and determination showed on his face or in his posture at all times, changing him from a handsome man into the man who stood out first and foremost in a room of handsome men. And, no matter how much he danced around the subject, Haruhi saw his kindness on display as well. His signature smirk, the one that either frightened or frustrated all who came into contact with it, usually hid true mirth. If you looked closely, as Haruhi had a tendency to do, you could see just a touch of softness at the corners that he simply could not hide. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment; she didn't understand why she felt more strongly about Kyoya than the rest of the Hosts- she didn't feel the need to stare at any of them. Just him. And it was very disconcerting to her. Sighing, she gently moved another inch further away. "Senpai, it's time to wake up. I'd leave you alone for a little while longer, but I'm afraid if I move and you're still asleep, you'll fall over."

The only response her efforts earned her was a groan and being pulled closer to his chest again, his left arm wrapped around her tightly, offering no chance for easy escape. Sighing, she wiggled her body up a little so that she could reach his ear, and spoke quietly to him again. "Kyoya-senpai, we have to wake up. Kyoya, please." Though she was shocked at herself for dropping the honorific, it seemed to do the trick. Kyoya grumbled a bit more and opened one eye, looking straight into Haruhi's chocolate brown ones.

Kyoya was relatively certain that all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room, because suddenly he could no longer breathe. Haruhi, perfect, gorgeous Haruhi, the object of his desires and daydreams, was a hairsbreadth away. His eyes imperceptibly flicked to her lips before returning to her eyes. She was a breath away; he could close the distance in the blink of an eye and experience the most delicious torture of her lips, moving against his. But she didn't want it, not yet, and he refused to do anything that made her uncomfortable, on any level. Instead, he cleared his throat and moved back from her a few inches. Neither of them noticed yet that their hands were still intertwined. "Good morning, Haruhi. Did you sleep well?"

She blinked, mildly confused. For a moment, she saw something in his eyes that she couldn't quite name; whatever it was, it made Haruhi's skin tingle in a new, curious way. It was gone, now, though, so she mentally shrugged and decided to think more about it later. She smiled up at her friend. "Surprisingly, yes. Though, I have one heck of a backache now, and I bet you do too." Blushing but horrified, the thought occurred to her. "Senpai, I was at least able to lean on you; I'm so much shorter than you that you didn't have that option. I'm so sorry!"

Kyoya merely smirked at her, despite the fact that he discovered the radiating cramp in his back the moment she mentioned it, and brushed it off. "As long as you were able to sleep despite the storm, it was worth it." At that moment, they both looked down at their laps and _finally_ discovered that they were holding hands. Sometimes, Tamaki wasn't the most oblivious person in the club. Despite his best efforts, Kyoya's pale cheeks flamed scarlet, and Haruhi's ears turned redder still. Unfortunately for them, the door chose that moment to fling itself open, only to spill five young men into Haruhi's small flat, the leader crying and mumbling incoherently about his daughter being a damsel in distress. However, all of the newcomers froze as the two snuggled against the wall mechanically turned their heads, realizing instantly that there was no way that this situation was going to end well.

As Tamaki instantly began to crumble away to dust once again, the twins were picking their jaws up off the floor. Mori was smiling deeply and nodding while Honey was bouncing up and down next to him, tugging his sleeve and pointing excitedly.

"PERVERT! TONO, KYOYA IS A PERVERT!" The twins screamed simultaneously at the pile of dust in front of them. Instantaneously, Tamaki miraculously reformed and began to screech in a pitch that made all the dogs in the neighborhood begin to howl.

A door slammed opened and a pissed off, sleep-deprived crossdresser appeared, eyes glinting like a demon, and bashed Tamaki's head into the nearest wall. " _ **I got home an hour ago, after dealing with a crisis situation for ten hours at the bar. I am tired. The next idiot who decides to act like a two year old throwing a temper tantrum will end up outside… In pieces.**_ " Ranka's glowing eyes were enough to send Tamaki, the twins, and Honey (despite not having even done anything yet) to the closet to cower in fear. Tamaki, for his part, also began to grow mushrooms at an impressive rate. In a complete shift, Ranka was suddenly all smiles and sugary sweetness as he turned to Haruhi and Kyoya. There was, however, a slightly terrifying, devious look in his eyes. "So, Kyoya, when can I contact your father about wedding plans?" His Cheshire cat grin gave the twins' a run for its money. When he heard three squeaks come from the closet and saw his daughter's jaw drop, he continued, waving his hand in a dismissive manner, despite the bombs he was purposely dropping on the teens in front of him. "After all, Kyoya, you _did_ spend the _whole night_ alone with my precious, innocent daughter. _And_ you woke up in each other's arms! So scandalous! Her reputation is positively ruined."

Kyoya allowed a single corner of his mouth to turn up in the barest hint of a smirk. In the closet, Tamaki was babbling incoherently about "mother" and "daughter" and the various things Kyoya could have done to take Haruhi's precious innocence, and blaming himself for allowing it. The twins merely sat staring, open-mouthed, at the Shadow King and their toy. Honey had emerged and now sat next to his ever-stoic cousin, humming the wedding march and playing with Usa-chan. Haruhi was red as a tomato and spluttering like a fish out of water. "D-dad, please, that's ridiculous! You _asked_ Kyoya-senpai to stay with me! And we fell asleep talking, that's all! Besides all that, Kyoya-senpai doesn't have any feelings for me and it wouldn't be fair to force him into this because he was being a good friend and helping me, and you always said I would choose who I married. You promised mom. If you forced this, you'd be breaking that promise to me." Kyoya stopped breathing for a moment when she mentioned his feelings. _If only you knew, Haruhi…_

Ranka looked temporarily hurt after Haruhi's short speech. "Alright, alright, no need to pull out the big guns; I was mostly joking. No need to bring your mother into this." A yawn forced Ranka to back down. "The power is still out, so I'm assuming school is cancelled?" He looked at Mori, the one most in control of himself at the moment (if Kyoya hadn't only just woken up himself, the older man would have addressed him), who nodded perfunctorily. "Amuse yourselves for a while- I need to go back to bed. _**But make sure you do it somewhere else.**_ " Once more, glowing eyes were flashed at a particular set of twins and a blond idiot, who decided to cower deeper in the closet. Ranka kissed Haruhi on the head and held up a hand in farewell as he groggily stumbled back to his room, completely at odds with the scary individual he had been mere seconds before.

After the audible movement in Ranka's room ceased, Tamaki emerged carefully from the closet and pointed dramatically at Kyoya. In a whisper, he addressed his best friend; "Your mansion has a generator, right? We can all go to your house for the day and have family bonding time!"

"Of course I have a generator, Tamaki. I'm certain you do as well, you just don't know it. Regardless, I will comply with your request; we can all convene at my house for the day. Haruhi, why don't you grab a set of clothes while I herd everyone outside so as not to bother your father while I call for a car; you can freshen up in one of my spare rooms." Kyoya looked intently at the woman who meant more to him than he ever expected anyone to, and was pleased when she agreed with him.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Haruhi sighed as she toweled warm droplets out of her hair in a ridiculously large bathroom in Kyoya's wing of the Ootori mansion. _Damn rich bastards. Though that_ _was_ _probably the best, most relaxing shower I have ever taken._ She frowned down at her bag, however. Most of her normal clothes were in the wash, and the rest miraculously disappeared sometime in the recent past, so she had ended up grabbing a dress her father had bought her at some point. The white slip went to below her knees, and had little cap sleeves and a modest neckline. It was decorated with watercolor lilac sprigs- the purple variety more often found in America, not the typical Japanese verion- which was incidentally Haruhi's favorite flower. She had seen a couple of the bushes at a garden show once, and immediately fell in love with their unique scent and fluffy bunches of purple blooms. To Haruhi, if happiness were a flower, it would be a lilac. Fluffing her hair one last time to try to keep herself from looking like a drowned rat, she sighed at her reflection and left the bathroom to join the rowdy group of boys she could hear down the hall.

The door was open, so she simply strolled in, unnoticed. The boys were part way through a movie that Haruhi didn't recognize; she saw Kyoya was at the end of the Western-style sofa and decided he would be the most reasonable of her friends to interrupt. She leaned in over his shoulder from behind, for some reason enjoying how close that made her to him. "What are we watching, senpai?"

If he were anyone else, Kyoya would have jumped. As it was, he did raise an eyebrow- the only outward sign of his surprise, despite his heart suddenly racing at the young woman's sudden proximity, but his voice remained steady when he answered her. "The Mummy, apparently. A librarian who is fascinated by Egypt and her wayward brother go to Egypt on an archeological expedition and save a man from hanging to be their guide to a lost city. They end up unearthing a cursed mummy. That's all there is to know at the moment." Haruhi perched on the arm of the couch next to her friend, head tilted a bit as she took in the action on-screen; Kyoya, on the other hand, was simply observing her. Both jumped when Tamaki suddenly lunged off the couch and shouted that the next Host Club theme was going to be based on Ancient Egypt. Haruhi dropped her head into her left hand, suddenly exhausted by the Host Club President's unending supply of energy and one-track mind. Kyoya merely sighed. It was only mid-morning, but for some reason (Tamaki's mere presence) the morning was dragging. It was going to be a long day.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

 **Author's Note: This was a lot of filler, but I needed to ramp up some tension between Haruhi and Kyoya. So, a couple things! 1.) The next chapter will be a continuation of this chapter (and I plan to have more Mori in it finally, for anybody who enjoyed the bit with him in the first chapter!); I could have made this longer, but I didn't want it to be too drawn out and dry. Breaking it up feels more natural. 2.) There might be a slight wait for the next chapter, as I am going on vacation starting tomorrow for a week to visit a friend in North Carolina (with Hurricane Irma on its way, lucky me, haha… ) So, with that and my birthday next week, which will have to be celebrated a bit later, it may take extra time to get the next chapter out. I apologize in advance, but I promise it's going to come! 3.) I've forgotten to say this thus far, and this stands for the rest of the story as well- I do not own Ouran High School Host Club- if I did, I wouldn't be worrying about the college debt I incurred, ha. So! With that, please feel free to leave a review to let me know how you're liking it so far, or if you've got any suggestions for anything, or just to say hi! :D I *might* have an idea for a story after this is over. Maybe. I'm toying with it. If anybody has any ideas for another fic for me to write, I'm game! PM me or leave a review with it! :D**

 **Until next time,  
Waterlilies~**


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as the movie finished, someone's stomach let out an impressive growl; the culprit's face quickly turned a bright crimson, and suddenly she was smothered in Tamaki's chest. "My poor daughter, we've been so cruel to ignore your needs all morning! Of course you're hungry, we whisked you here almost immediately after waking up! MOTHER! QUICKLY! LEAD THE WAY TO THE KITCHEN!"

Haruhi couldn't keep her eye from twitching through this over-the-top display of idiocy. "Get off me, Tamaki-senpai. I'm fi-..." Her sentence trailed off with a small gulp as she noticed a certain pair of gray eyes narrowed while watching her intently from beside where she'd settled in during the movie, one eyebrow disappearing into the ebony hairline. That look meant trouble, no two ways about it. Strangely, she also found herself blushing under Kyoya's scrutiny. "Er, I mean, if everyone else is hungry too, I guess I could eat, it is almost lunch time…"

Apparently that appeased the Shadow King, as his eyebrows returned to their customary places on his face. "Better answer, Haruhi." Gracefully, Kyoya extricated himself from the soft cushions of the couch. _He always does things so gracefully, damn rich bastard,_ Haruhi thought to herself, more annoyed at herself for letting her eyes linger than she was at him for intimidating her into accepting lunch- not that she'd ever admit to her wandering eyes, if someone ever asked. "I'll go downstairs to the kitchen to see what I can have thrown together and brought back up here. It will be far more pleasant than going to the dining room." Kyoya's face was set into his typical smirk as he turned to walk from the room. Mori rose quietly and followed him, Honey waving goodbye in his cousin's the space between the two young men and the room containing their friends widened a bit, Mori looked over at Kyoya. "You're not wasting any time, are you?"

The younger man knew something along these lines was coming when he heard Mori follow him out of the room. Strictly speaking, Kyoya could have called down to the kitchen, but he needed a moment away from his exuberant friend group; he should have known Mori would follow him regardless. So, instead of answering right away, he attempted to test the waters, see where his friend was going to go with this conversation. "I'm not sure I know what you mean."

Mori looked at him sedately, an eyebrow raised. "You know what I mean. I was there this morning too, you know."

"Would you believe me if I said that was an accident? The storm last night had her terrified. I tried to take her mind off of it by talking, and we fell asleep. Ranka must have put the blanket on us when he came home. I didn't even notice we were holding hands until a fraction of a second before you all came spilling through the door." Kyoya sighed and ran a hand through his hair, and a hand landed on his shoulder.

"I'm not saying that you were trying anything perverted, or whatever the twins and Tamaki would say. I'm just saying that whatever it is you're doing, seems to be working. Good for you." The older boy nodded firmly, one side of his mouth twitching up in the vague hint of a smile, truly happy that things were apparently working out for his friend.

Kyoya allowed himself a small smile, aimed in his friend's general direction, and a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, one Ootori could get his happy ending.

After a lunch that left Haruhi in a slightly worrying state of utter bliss, the gang reconvened in the same room as before, the twins sprawled all over each other on a loveseat, Mori in a maroon wingback chair to the left of the twins, Honey at his feet. Tamaki stood before the group, gesturing animatedly while trying to decide further activities for the rest of their free afternoon. Kyoya leaned against the wall behind him, shaking his head at the unending well of energy that was his best friend. Haruhi placed herself next to Kyoya- since she figured she'd probably not have to deal with any strange behavior from him- standing with her hands behind her back, smiling at the show in front of her. They might be idiots, but she had grown so fond of the Host Club after her forced induction. Almost at the same time as she had that thought, she immediately regretted it; Tamaki had decided what their next activity would be.

He pointed his finger at her, grinning like a madman. "Haruhi! You're going to teach us how commoners dance!" Instantly, Haruhi felt a headache coming on.

"Senpai, I'd really rather not. It's nowhere near as dignified as waltzing or whatever." Haruhi really hoped he'd drop the subject, but knew she couldn't get that lucky. Especially after what he had seen that morning; he was bound to try to assert his claim, or whatever. It didn't seem to matter that he _had_ no claim whatsoever to Haruhi. That was another thing she appreciated about Kyoya, she thought, as an unwelcome blush touched her cheeks; he never forced her to do anything she didn't want to do, and respected her as a person, while the others seemed to think of her as a possession, or a doll who would just mindlessly agree to whatever scheme they'd dreamt up. Well, other than always threatening her with more debt, that is.

Unfortunately, Tamaki didn't notice her train of thought, and took her blush for embarrassment at being asked to dance, and being Tamaki, he decided to push the point. "Come, Haruhi! Don't you wish to make your father happy?!" He pulled out the puppy dog eyes and the quivering lip he knew Haruhi always gave in to. And, as per usual, she did. But, she figured if she scandalized them all, maybe they'd stop asking her to teach them "commoner things" altogether. It was probably a moot, point, but she'd try anything some days. She wracked her brain for an appropriately risque song and then grinned, thinking of one she had heard in middle school. It was an American song, if she remembered correctly, and it stuck out to her mostly because of how the other girls had listened to it, whispering about how bad it was. Yes, that one would be perfect.

This was going to be a bad idea, Kyoya could already tell. This was just going to be another excuse for Tamaki to stare at her, or worse- touch her. Kyoya's hand twitched at the thought. He wasn't prone to violence, not really. He'd rather show power through professional means, like buying a company out from under someone, or banning them for eternity from somewhere with the right words whispered to the right people. He left the acts of force to his bodyguards. But damn him if the thought of Tamaki's hands on Haruhi didn't make Kyoya want to rearrange his friend's face. Just a little. And then Haruhi smiled. _Shit._ Not only did the smile not bode well for Tamaki's plan, it made Kyoya's hand twitch again for a completely different reason. He wanted to grab her, kiss that evil little smile off her face. His Shadow Queen.

He blinked. His what now? That was a new one. However, before he had time to ponder that reaction, Haruhi spoke up.

"Fine. I'll do it. But I'm picking the song. And my partner." Tamaki began to protest, and Haruhi held up her hand to stop him. "If you insist on this nonsense, then this is how it's going to go, Senpai. No arguments." Tamaki's shoulders slumped, but he gave in.

"Good. Now…" She turned on her heel, and faced the last person anyone expected her to. "Kyoya-senpai, if you wouldn't mind?"

Kyoya blinked. This was going to be… interesting. He had been to a club once or twice, for a business deal or another, and knew the kind of dancing Haruhi must have had in mind. He bowed his head to her in agreement. "Certainly, Haruhi. Which song do you have in mind?" She went to him, and whispered the name in his ear. If he were any other man, he'd be grinning wildly now, simply from the fact that he knew this was going to just about kill Tamaki. As it was, the corner of his mouth tilted up and he nodded to Haruhi, and attended to his sound system, queueing up the request.

He returned to the small woman's side, unsure if she knew what exactly she was going to do, both to the onlookers, and to Kyoya himself.

The music began and the sweet, innocent Haruhi they knew and loved was replaced. Kyoya was mesmerized when she took his hands and placed them on her hips as she pressed close and began moving her hips seductively to the beat.

 _Do the Helen Keller, and talk with your hips…_

Kyoya moved with her, more subtly, while she most certainly did talk with her hips. She turned around, eyes closed. She gyrated her hips, her hand on the back of Kyoya's neck, her ass a heairsbreadth away from his own hips. Closing his eyes, he had to focus to keep the separation between them, what little there was. _This is only a show. It means nothing._ But he enjoyed it just the same. He found himself smiling, a real smile, as Haruhi looked up at him, smiling too, as the song ended. They froze for a moment, then Kyoya coughed and backed away. Haruhi turned bright red, back to herself. They both turned to the rest of the crew standing behind them.

Mori had dragged Honey into his side so that he couldn't see the display, despite the smaller man's protests and attempts to extricate himself-and Mori's eyes were large as he met Kyoya's. The twins and Tamaki seemed to be having out-of-body experiences, because none of them were moving. The lights were on, but there was nobody home, apparently.

"Are you happy now, Senpai?" Haruhi asked the blond club president, hands on her hips. Tears began to stream down his face as he came-to.

"I AM MOST CERTAINLY NOT HAPPY! MOTHER, WHY DID YOU AGREE TO GO ALONG WITH THIS? OUR POOR DAUGHTER…" Kyoya and Haruhi rolled their eyes in tandem.

"Tamaki, stop being an idiot. You wanted her to show us, and I was the choice she could trust to both cooperate and not be all over her. You don't always understand the concepts of boundaries and personal space." Kyoya's mask slipped back into place as easy as drawing breath. He didn't want any of them knowing how a simple dance affected him. Especially not Haruhi. He would not scare her away. He ignored the daggers Kaoru was shooting his way, and the confused numbness from his best friend. They didn't own Haruhi, or Kyoya. They could make whatever choices they wanted.

And Kyoya didn't want to be alone anymore.

Internally, Haruhi was a mess. She was panicking, first and foremost. _I did_ _ **not**_ _just do that with Kyoya-senpai. Please tell me that didn't happen. Oh God. Kill me now. I'll never be able to look him in the eyes again._

Secondly, she was confused as hell because a back of butterflies had taken up residence in her stomach. _He was so gentle, that must be it. And his cologne has always smelled wonderful, so maybe it's just that, it gave me a headrush or something. And we just ate so maybe I didn't wait long enough, like the hour you're supposed to wait before swimming._ She was trying to talk herself away from the obvious reason- Kyoya was an attractive man, and she had enjoyed the feeling of being so close to him that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. Shadow King he may be, but he was far from cold.

The most prevalent thought, though, was that she wanted to touch him again. Her fingers tingled where they'd rested on his neck, and her hips where his hands had been still felt hotter than the rest of her body. And now she had to face him again, when all she could think about were his gray eyes burning into hers, and the first true smile she'd ever seen on his face.

She wanted to make him do that again.

 **A/N- hey guys! Surprise! I'm not dead, and neither is this story! I apologize for the long absence; Last November I got a new job that was incredibly stressful and occupied almost all of my time. On top of that, it was very mentally exhausting, and the only thing I wanted to do when I got home was sleep. But! I no longer work there, so hopefully I'll have more time to devote to this! I am looking to be moving several states away in the coming couple months, so if there's a bump, that's probably it. Anywho, I hope the wait was worth it for this chapter. Our dynamic duo saw some more action! I'm hopefully ramping the tension up more so that we'll finally get to the long awaited "kiss kiss fall in love" scene haha! We're about four days from Christmas right now in my family, so Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it, and Happy Holidays to the numerous people who observe their own unique and wonderful holidays, religious or otherwise!**

 **Until next time, everyone! –Waterlilies**


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